The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-26

Oh, how my back aches!" put she
soon arose, and tossing back her thick
bang with quick hand, looked about
the group OF impatient girls with q
face full OF my sterious import, and
asked, with O. touch OF her forefinger
on the knee OF the nearest: "Where
do you suppose | have been for the
last mortal hour?"
"In Il. WIS study, getting lecture
for laughing at prayers"
"In the MUSHROOM, receiving a
proposal OF marriage from Professor
Charles"
The last sally provoked @ loud
litter, for Ben had taken it upon
herself to be sentimental over the
handsome professor, in spite OF his
announced engagement to a young
teacher, and had raved about him to
her eleven confidential friends in a
manner which was the more effecting
from the hopelessness OF her assumed
passion.
But Florence Healey blushed al.
most angrily, and said:
"Nonsense Come, Ben, let us know
what has detained you so long,"
81 will" was tho answer; "but pre-.
viously let's have something to eat.
I am nearly famished. will take two
sardines on this piece OF brown bread"
She held out her mug for coffee, which
was cold so that its aroma might not
penetrate the nostrils OF the watch.
f,,1 &c, nl.A, ,,ofn,,aI - D,iu "
and soon all were fairly at work upon
the edibles. When Ben had finished her
first course, and was reaching for q
liberal piece OF raisin cake, she said,
solemnly
"Girls, have the most astonishing
and wildly interesting thingto tell you
that you ever heard. No novel could
be stranger or more thrilling But
am so tired Oh, how my back and
neck did achel And it seemed as if my
feet would come Off"
And Ben put in large mouthful Of
cake and relapsed into silence, which in
two seconds became unbearable to her
companions.
"Come, tell usl' ,..-.in.
"Do let us hear i'll"
"What can it be?'
"Has the housekeeper discharged
the cook?" said Florence Healey,
Laughing.
Ben turned suddenly upon her.
mo; but Miss Lou Brown has dis
charged Professor Charles"
She turned back to get the effect Of
her stunning announce on the room
full OF girls, so she did not see the pale.
ness that overspread the beautiful
face OF her interlocutor, and laughed
gleefully at the chorus OF EXPLANATIONS
that came from the wondering girls.
"Nol Really? How do you know"
"How do know? should think
ought to know; heard It'll"
"Heard it? Ooh You heard i'll"
Ben was composedly selecting a large
piece OF preserved ginger from the jar,
which combined with sponge cake with
evident satisfaction, and, as her mouth
was full, she merely NODDED impressive
The girls were in huttrr OF impa.
tient curiosity, but Florence Healey
said, in O. low voice:
"Ben, If you have by accident heard
what was not intended for your ears,
is it honorable to tell it to any oner"
"That is just what l am thinking
about" responded the tricksy sprite,
grayely. There was howl OF disap'
pointment from ten OF the "Mystic
Twelve" at would not be quite
extraordinarily"
Hope began to glimmer again.
"But, you see, we are bound by our
oath to repose perfect confidence In
each other, are we notY'
She looked inqWringly around.
"Of course we are. Solemnly bound!
Indeed we are! Yes!" came an eager
rush of voices.
"Still," unused the young lady,
choosing chocolate cream with scru'
pulous care, "that may hold only up
on matters pertaining strictly to our
selves"
"Ben, you are real mean, if you
don't tell us, after all thisl" protested
Kitty Glazier.
Florence Healey said nothing, per-
haps because she saw that Ben fully
intended to relate her adventure after
sufficiently arousing the curiosity o.
her friends, and possibly because she
herself had an interest in the disclos.
ure which overpowered her ideas o.
honorable reticence upon another's
secret.
"But," said Ben, as q rebuttal,
"this is something which may
seriously affect any one oil
us"-the excitement grew intense
$50 / shall wave my scruples and
tell it-but under perfect secrecy
mindl WE'LL" began Ben, hoist.
ing herself with some difficulty upon
the curved ton of q large trunk. "You